From Bruises to Bitemarks
by venomoxide
Summary: They were two adventerous kids who grew up into rowdy teenagers. They thought they were invincible, but nothing could prepare them for this... Kellis/Starts off Pre-Apocalypse/Eventual Nellis.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! So, this is my second L4D fanfiction. I just wanted to give you a little summary. There is potentially going to be two pairings within this. Nellis and Kellis. The beginning of this story is before the outbreak. This first chapter, for example, is years away from the whole thing. Both Keith and Ellis are seventeen years old. That's about it! Thanks**.

The sun in the Savannah sky was blazing hot, gently caressing the Southerners skin like a familiar touch. Raising a hand, he blocked the blinding light from his hazel eyes, attempting to see in front of him. It had been a slow day today, making him that much more eager to get home. After all, there was a mighty beautiful Mercedes just waiting in his garage, ready to give him some lovin'.

With a small movement, Ellis dropped his hand, placing his hat back on his head with a large grin and took the stairs three at a time. There were a few other students littering around, however, most had made it home by now. Unfortunately, Ellis had to stay after class to vouch for his buddy Keith. Apparently he had been blamed for breaking some kid's nose earlier this afternoon. Even though Ellis had no doubt Keith had probably caused the accident, he found it hard to believe that his buddy would ever purposely break someone's nose. So, he stayed behind and gave his friend a solid alibi. Besides, Keith would've done the same for him.

He had only made it a few feet before he found himself tackled from the side, meeting the grass with a painful jolt as body connected with ground. He grunted, half-laughing half-crying, before he rolled over, finding Keith hovering above him with a huge, boyish grin. "Awh, fuck, man..." Ellis swore under his breath, holding his side as he stared up at the rugged male.

The dark-haired male rolled to the side, no longer hovering over his friend, as he continued to grin. "C'mon, Ell. We gotta' work on your reflex's 'n such," he replied, a hand running through his mess of hair before he shifted his position so he was lying beside Ellis with his hands behind his head.

Ellis rolled his eyes, his head rolling to the side to stare at his best friend. "You are one crazy son 'a bitch, Keith. Knockin' me over every second day 'aint gonna' help my reflexes. It's just gonna' make me as dumb as you..." He watched the other male's expression feign anger and for a moment, he wondered how many times he had seen that face. How long had him and Keith been friends? Longer than Jimmy Gibbs had been cool, apparently. Ellis knew everything about the man, including his thoughts. From Keith's slightly unkempt hair, to his bright green eyes, even to the constant stubble that existed on his jaw... Keith was simply Keith and he always would be.

"What you up to today, Ell?" Keith questioned, ignoring the jab at his intelligence as he sat up. "You want 'ta come over? My momma's probably makin' pie sometime tonight. 'An I got somethin' 'ta show 'ya anyway."

Ellis winced as he sat up, slightly amused by the fact Keith still thought he had to lure him over with the offer of food. "'A course, Keith. I'd love 'ta."

* * *

It was a short walk from the school to Keith's house. It was a small suburban home, nestled in between three or four other houses. The paint was white and blue and even though it was peeling, Ellis still thought it looked better than new. And if he turned around and craned his neck, he could see the roof of his own house from across the street. That was how the two had become best friends in the first place.

_Ellis had just gotten a new bicycle for his birthday and, being the adventurous boy he was, decided to go exploring with it. As he raced down the street, he noticed the large van and came to a halt, staring at the large vehicle with wide eyes. He always loved trucks, cars, motorcycles... Anything that could move and move fast, he had to get his hands on. He was about to continue adventuring with his bike, but something caught his eye._

_It was a boy around his own age, balancing on the porch railing with a boyish smile engulfing his face. Ellis couldn't help but to smile. Keith was just one of those people – you had to like them. Watching with awe as Keith walked the length and back, he wondered if he should introduce himself. Ellis was generally a fairly sociable kid, but for some reason, Keith seemed too cool. And what if he didn't want to play with him?_

_Biting his bruised lower lip, his eyebrows furrowed, eyes fixed on the other boy with an almost ridiculous amount of intensity. After a few seconds of debating, he made up his mind and started to turn the bike around, swinging his leg over the side once more. However, Keith had seen the reflection of the red bicycle and glanced over, distracted enough to fall. Ellis had heard the small grunt and whipped his head around, eyes wide. Dropping his bike, he ran across the green lawn at top speed and bounded up the stairs onto the porch. And there was Keith, in the process of sitting up, blood running down the front of his face._

_"Christ in a hand-basket!" Ellis whispered before he ran over, dropping to his knees. "Y'all right?" The worry was evident in his seven year old face. But Keith simply grinned and nodded. "It's no big deal," he replied, shrugging as he ignored the blood. "This one time, I climbed on my roof and got attacked by a bird... Fell fifty feet, I did!"_  
_From that day on, they were like brothers. Especially when Ellis insisted on telling 'Keith Stories_.'

Pulled from his memory by the sound of Keith's dog, Cobalt, Ellis wondered how long he had been zoned out. Apparently not too long, considering Keith still hadn't come back with the beers. Sighing, Ellis leaned back in the old rocking chair. Keith's bedroom was almost identical to his own, now that he thought about it. Most of the furniture was mismatched, all antique and made from scratch. There were posters of Jimmy Gibbs on the wall, along with the Midnight Riders and the Bull Shifters. Sometimes their mothers joked about how they were actually brothers separated at birth.

"Hey, Ell," Keith pulled Ellis' attention away from the poster as he tossed him a cold can of Bud. "What'cha think' 'bout? Don' get all serious on me, buddy." The scruffy male smirked as he cracked open his beer, taking a long swig before he dropped down to sit on his bed.

"Nawh, I was jus' think' 'bout how similar we are. 'Ya know, secretly brothers 'n shit." Ellis shrugged, mimicking Keith's actions with a bit less vigor. The beer was refreshing, especially because hardly any houses had a decent air conditioning system. Ellis could feel the small bit of perspiration building up on the back of his neck, clinging to the fabric of his Bull Shifters t-shirt. He wore it a bit too often for his momma's liking, but hey - a man's gotta' show love for his music.

"Fair 'nuff," Keith replied, taking another swig before he set it aside loudly, standing up as he stretched, face contorting as he attempted to hide a yawn. "Now, b'fore my momma finishes with dinner, I wanted 'ta show 'ya something." He paused to wait for Ellis to nod and stand, slightly amused by the excited expression on the dirty-blonde's face. "Al'righ, c'mere..." he trailed off, disappearing into the hallway that connected to his bathroom.

Slightly confused, Ellis followed, not bothering to question. Keith would never tell him nor would it be cool to ruin the surprise. Whatever it was. However, he did raise an eyebrow when Keith closed the door behind them and locked it, glancing around with an almost anxious expression. After a few moments of silence, he grinned widely and walked over to the toilet, lifting up the porcelain top and setting it on the side of the tub. From within, he pulled out a large bag of what looked like green grass. Tilting his head, Ellis frowned, leaning against the sink as he watched Keith roll some of the grass into something that resembled a cigarette. However, Ellis obviously knew it wasn't a cigarette.

"Um, what'cha doin', Keith?" Ellis questioned, hesitating for a moment as the odd cigarette was passed to him. Waiting for an answer, he raised it to his nose, sniffing it lightly. It didn't smell bad, almost kind of sweet, if he thought about it.

"Jus' be patient, 'Ell," Keith replied, keeping his voice significantly quieter than the other males. "Jus' gimme a sec." And so, Ellis stood in silence, watching as his best friend rolled three more of the strange things and rolled the bag back up, slipping it back into the toilet. The porcelain top followed, concealing whatever Keith was hiding.

"Alrigh'," Keith finally said, motioning for Ellis to sit on the tub beside him. "C'mere. It's fun, trust me." Even though Ellis didn't really need reassurance, he had never smoked anything and it was slightly unnerving not even knowing what it was. Noticing his apprehensive expression, Keith patted his shoulder. "It's jus' weed, Ell. 'Ya know, to get high."

Suddenly, Ellis recognized the faint smell and grinned, unable to believe he had been so stupid. "Righ'," he replied, somewhat sheepishly. Lifting it to his lips, he let Keith flick the lighter, igniting his joint with a small burning sound. As Keith took care of his own, Ellis took a deep drag, half expecting it to cause him to cough. However, it was pleasant. More like a fragrance.

"Not too bad, eh Ell?" Keith questioned, nudging his friend with a large smirk. "Jus' wait until it sets in. 'Ya feel like 'ya can fly." The two sat where they were, slowing inhaling the drugs, both smiling stupidly after less than two minutes. Ellis felt as if he were in a haze, like a cloud had settled around his brain and relaxed every inch of his body. His vision was soft, all the edges seemed blurred, but when he glanced over to Keith, he could see him perfectly. Stress, frustration, boredom, tiredness... It all left.

And for some reason, his hand moved on it's own, slowly rising until his fingers met with Keith's shoulder, the fabric of his t-shirt barely making contact with Ell's skin. He held his hand there, watching for a reaction. When all he received was an interested raise of an eyebrow, he began to laugh and dropped his hand to his side, wondering what the hell had come over him.

"I'm sorry, Keith. I don' know what I'm doin'. Musta' been thi-" His apology was cut short as a pair of lips secured themselves of his own. He continued to attempt to talk for a few moments, until he realized what had happened. Slowly frowning, he tried to pull away, thinking it must have been a mistake on Keith's part. However, Keith shifted his body weight, enough to press Ellis' against the wall beside him, preventing him from pulling away.

Ellis' hands came up, on a mission to push the other male away, but instead, the simply rested against Keith's chest. Their lips were still pressed together, Ellis' mouth open slightly, due to the fact he had been talking. One of Keith's hands found it's way to the dirty-blonde's knee, resting on his knee cap as his head tilted to the side and his tongue was added to the mix. It slowly slid across the others slightly fuller bottom lip and into Ell's mouth, earning a surprised moan from the Southerner.

Meanwhile, Ellis' brain was attempting to keep itself from overloading. Wasn't this wrong? Why was Keith kissing him? And most importantly, why the hell did it feel good? Many girls liked Keith, but he had never paid them any attention. He'd called them a waste of time. Hell, many girls seemed to like Ellis himself, but he was too oblivious to notice and by the time he did, they had found someone else. With a start, he realized this was his first kiss.

Swallowing thickly, Ellis found himself closing his eyes, mimicking Keith's actions by sliding his own tongue forward until the two connected. His grip around the fabric of his best friend's shirt tightened, surprised by the jolt of desire that surged through his stomach, into his lower abdomen. Before he knew what was happening, Keith had pulled away, an almost satisfied expression on his face.

"Y'all right, Ell?" He questioned cheekily, lips curving into a devilish smirk. The hand on his knee was slowly sliding up Ell's thigh, barely moving more than an inch at a time. Confused, Ellis nodded and then shook his head, before nodding again.

"I'm... ye-... I'm mighty warm," he replied quietly, wondering if his cheeks were as red as they felt. "'N why'd 'ya kiss me, Keith?" He hadn't meant to ask, mostly because he didn't like having to ask questions. But it had just fallen out of his lips, like he had no control over his mouth anymore. Or his tongue, it seemed, as he recalled the last forty seconds.

"'Cause I like you, Ell. 'N it feels good. So, why not?" Keith replied logically, his green eyes darker than usual and slightly glazed over. Not to mention, his voice was somewhat huskier, as if he had just run a mile. "Did'ya like it?" He added, taking another drag of his joint.

Ellis was silent for quite awhile, listening to his heart beat against his ears and the faint drip of the tap behind him. He could hear the movement of skin against fabric as Keith's hand moved up his thigh and the soft exhales he made as he continued to smoke his weed. He decided that yes. He did like it. Very much.


	2. Chapter 2

A few months passed and soon Ellis had convinced himself that the whole thing had been nothing. Well, okay. It had been something. But it was a certain something that neither of them seemed the need to talk about. It wasn't until football season had ended that the issue needed to be talked about. It all started when Ellis had decided to drop by Keith's before heading home for a shower. He'd just had his last game, which they won of course, and thought he would come and let his best friend know.

Unfortunately, Keith's momma had decided that Keith had to do chores round the house instead of attending Ellis' football game. Of course Ellis was crushed. Keith had attended every game since he had started playing. But, he pretended it didn't hurt. And pretended it didn't seem deliberate. He wasn't about to go around judging other people's momma's like that. His own taught him better.

But, he saw no harm in dropping by to say hello. After all, maybe he could get on Mrs. Andersen's good side if he helped out with the chores. As he pulled up in the driveway, he could smell the faint scent of her famous apple pie, causing his stomach to grumble. Slamming the door shut, he took the stairs two at a time before he reached the stark white door and knocked twice.

It took a few moments before a young girl opened it, her head full of wild ginger curls arching backwards to get a better look. "Hello Ellis," she said, tone shy as she held the door open for him. "If 'yer lookin' fer Keith, he's in the back. Cuttin' up some fire wood."

"Thank 'ya, Hanna," he replied, reaching out to ruffle her hair with a grin. She blushed and let the door close, rushing up the stairs as she waved behind her. He walked in through the hall, familiar with the house to the point it could almost be his own. Peeking into the kitchen, he rest his hand on the door, running a finger over a dent in the wall. He smiled at the memory, still finding it amusing that Keith thought it would be a good idea to flail a sword around in his kitchen.

It was empty, save for the delicious scent of the apple pie cooking in the oven and Mrs. Andersen. She was standing in front of the counter, kneading dough into a fluffy ball. He gave her a wide grin, expecting one back. However, all he got was a forced fraction of a smile.

Though his own smile fell a bit, he still nodded politely towards the elder woman. "Afternoon, Mrs. Andersen," he greeted, taking his hat off, so not to be rude as he waved.

"Afternoon," she replied stiffly, seeming too busy with her bread making to bother looking over to him any longer. He stood in silence for a few moments, wishing he could think of something to say, before he slipped his hat back on and stepped away from the door frame. He barely made it two steps before her voice called him back in.

She had abandoned the bread, now leaning on the counter, over it. Her head was hanging down, as if she were trying not to cry. However, when she lifted her gaze, she was far from tears. In fact, she simply looked bitter. "Now, you listen close boy," she began, piercing green eyes narrowing with each step she took closer to him. "Y'all better not be turning my Keith into a... a...," she faltered, seeming too angry to think of uttering the word. "Something like _you_." She settled for that, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Now, don't think I haven't been noticin' your little glances at 'im and the way you always gotta be touchin' 'im... You best just leave 'im alone. He's a good boy, 'ya see? A good, Christian boy. 'An he don't need none like you messin' 'im up." Her voice had faded, seeming as if she were only reassuring herself by now.

With that, she turned on her heel and returned to the bread, slamming her fist into it hard enough to cause Ellis to flinch. He nodded faintly before retreating, breath uneven as he tried to work through his emotions. The most prevalent was confusion. Something like him? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Second, he was hurt. Mrs. Andersen had always been kind to him. She used to treat him like her own son. And now she was treating him like he was some kind of disease or something.

After exiting into the backyard, he leaned against the chipped wood siding, closing his eyes for a moment. His breathing had returned to normal but his chest still felt heavy. Like he had been insulted. When he really thought about it, he had. But for what? He had no clue what she was going on about.

He jumped a bit as he felt a hand on his shoulder, blue eyes snapping open to see Keith, watching him with a worried expression. "What's wrong, Ell?" He skipped straight to the question, close enough to the Southerner to know when something was wrong. Normally, Ellis wouldn't have hesitated to tell his best friend. After all, Keith generally gave decent advice. But it was different this time. It was his own momma. He didn't want to offend the both of them somehow. As per usual, though, he couldn't help but spill his guts.

"Well, I dunno, Keith. Your momma just said some stuff to me, jus' now. I don't know why she said it, but she seemed mighty angry... Did I do something?" He hoped perhaps Keith knew what had caused his momma to go off at him. But, he could tell by the mirrored confusion in his friend's eyes that he was out of luck.

"What'd she say?" Keith probed, arching an eyebrow as his hand left Ellis' shoulder. He didn't seem angry, or insulted, so Ellis took it as a good sign.  
"She said you don't need me turning you into... someone like me. 'An that I'm gonna mess you up. That I look at 'ya funny," he replied, leaving some things out, mostly because he didn't remember her exact words. He just remembered how _angry_ she had looked.

For a moment, Keith's expression didn't change, but his eyebrows soon furrowed in anger. Green eyes closed for a moment before he took hold of Ellis' arm and gently tugged him off the porch, across the large backyard and around behind the shed.

"Don't listen 'ta her, Ell," he said quietly, letting go of the other boys arm as he glared at the shed wall. His eyes held rage, with a hint of sadness. Yet, Ellis still couldn't figure out why. "She's jus'... afraid of me bein' different."

"How are 'ya different, Keith?" Ellis demanded, voice raising the slightest bit. He was frustrated – with the both of them. No one would out right say what they were talking about and it was beginning to piss him off. "I don't know why she hates me! I don't know what your talkin' about! I don't know _anythin_' anymore and it's like some big secret that everyone else knows 'an I don't..."

Keith stared at him, obviously a bit surprised by the outburst, before he sighed. It was that sigh he always did when he had to explain something to his friend. Feeling a bit stupid, Ellis felt his cheeks flush out of anger. He wasn't dumb, he just didn't like riddles and shit. But Keith didn't chide him on being stupid. He simply moved closer, one hand resting behind Ellis against the shed as he leaned over him, eyes searching.

"You like me, right, Ell?"

The question threw the Southerner off guard for a moment. "'A course I like 'ya, Keith. You're my best friend. Why would you even bother to ask th-" He was cut off by a pair of lips pressing against his own, somewhat forcefully. He felt his stomach drop and eyes widen, the unexpected action pulling a surprised moan from his throat. However, before it continued further, Keith pulled away, jaw clenching as if he had been holding himself back.

"Like that, Ell... You like me that way?" For some reason, Ellis could hear the anxious tone in his best friends voice. Like he was terrified Ellis would say no. But, what was he going to say? It felt good, even without drugs. But wasn't it wrong? After all, no one in the town did anything but get married and have children. Suddenly, he realized why Keith's momma hated him so much. It hit him like the front of a nicely souped up truck and he couldn't hold back the urge to cry.

He didn't care if Keith thought he was weird for crying; he knew he wouldn't. He had seen him cry multiple times. But this time it was different. Because he realized that he loved the person he had called his best friend and it was wrong.

For once, Keith seemed lost as to why Ellis reacted the way he did. "Ell? Don't cry, please... What...?" He trailed off, attempting to pry the other males hands away from his face so he could wipe his tears. For a moment, he feared he had caused the waterworks.

After a few moments, Ellis shook his head, ignoring Keith's attempt by simply wrapping his arms around the other males waist. He could hear his heart beat in his ear and it calmed him, enough to stop his outburst. Keith obliged to the embrace, resting his hands on Ellis' back. "I love you, Keith. That's wrong, though, isn't it?" Ellis' voice was quiet now, almost a whisper.

Keith pulled him back, staring at him with a fierce expression."Love isn't wrong. Don't you ever let anyone tell you that this is wrong... What we have, Ell, it's special. Can you imagine being with anyone else?" He paused, waiting until Ellis had replied with a no to continue. "Besides... I love you too. A lot."

Ellis felt his lips spread into a wide grin, a sudden burst of happiness making it impossible to mask his glee. It was that same feeling he used to get when he would fly off the park swing, suspended in the air for a moment. Free like a bird, his arms spread out, wind whipping at his face...


	3. Chapter 3

For some reason, as he stood, surrounded by three other people, Ellis felt that feeling again. Soaring in the air, jumping from that swing. But he felt it only for a moment. It hurt to much to let it linger. Because with his happiness, there had been Keith. And Keith wasn't here this time. Suddenly, he felt angry at himself, for thinking that way. Keith must have waited for him. Must still be looking... Right?

Pulling him from his thoughts, he heard someone asking for his name. Glancing to his right, he noticed the other people for the first time. One girl, two men. It was the lady who was asking for his name. "Ellis," he replied simply. "Some people call me Ell." Keith called me that. It was only him. "But it kind of sounds like a girl name..."

His smile was forced, though the lady didn't seem to notice. "I'm Rochelle. And apparently, this one's name is Coach. Don't know about him, though," she said absently, gesturing to the male in a white suit.

Ellis nodded towards Coach, smiling a bit, before nodding towards the other male. His smile fell, surprised by the expression on his face. It seemed almost a bit hostile. Cold, gray green eyes were staring straight at him, as if he were assessing a threat. They moved quickly however, as he turned away, walking towards the railing of the roof.

"The name's Nick," he said, a cold edge to his voice. "Don't bother learning it. I don't plan on sticking around long."

Well, he seemed friendly. Ellis didn't mind though. In a way, he reminded him of Keith. Just the way he took leadership of a situation. There had been an unspoken agreement between the four of them in the matter of seconds, where Nick seemed to be the one to call the shots. But Keith was kinder... gentle.

Running a hand over his face, Ellis attempted to rid his thoughts of the other male. He couldn't be dead. It was Keith he was talking about. Keith, who had survived lawn-mowers and flocks of birds attacking him for hours. Besides, it wouldn't do the group any good if he were a downer. Keith had always praised him on his amount of happiness. Said it had a way of effecting people. So, Ellis made the decision to be the light in the group. Always smiling, carefree... That was what he was good at, right?

* * *

It seemed helpful, at the end of the day. No matter what had happened, Ellis made sure to keep his worries, fears and pain inside. Rochelle had taken a liking to him, over the next two weeks. They were like brother and sister. Yet, she still couldn't notice half the things Keith would have. Stop it. Stop thinking about him. He's fine.

"Sometimes I wish he would get off his high horse for once," Rochelle complained, opening up a granola bar with a slight grimace thrown towards their 'leader.' The two of them were seated across one of the barricaded rooms, eating their share of food. Coach and Nick were both drifting off into sleep.

"Nawh... he's alrigh'," Ellis replied, shrugging a bit as he took a swig of water. "It's just how he works, 'ya see? My buddy Keith is like him. Just as confident and cocky, but he used it to make people like 'im."

"Well, when he does it, it's just annoying."

Not in the mood to argue, he simply nodded, letting his gaze drift over to the older man. Faintly, Ellis wondered if he had lost anyone to the apocalypse. He seemed like one of those men who kept to themselves, never loving anyone or anything because they were too afraid to lose it.

Seeming to sense a gaze on him, Nick's eyes opened, focusing directly on the Southern boy. His eyebrow raised, asking a silent question. What do you want? For a moment, Ellis simply stared back, not really sure why he felt compelled to stare at the older man. Nick seemed to be able to tell he didn't know, smirking and letting his eyes fall shut once more.

Pulling his eyes away, Ellis stared at the ground, feeling like he had been caught doing something wrong. His cheeks burned and his pulse had quickened, making his heart beat the only thing he could hear in the silent room. Glancing to the side, he saw that Rochelle had shimmied herself into an uncomfortable looking position – probably attempting to sleep.

Something about Nick reminded him of Keith. They looked nothing alike, really. But it was they way they acted. Keith's eyes held the same emotion as Nick's. The only difference was in the tone. Keith's eyes were warm, inviting and friendly. They drew you in like a cup of warm hot chocolate on a winters day. However, Nick's eyes were the opposite. They drew you in, but for all the wrong reasons. They gave you that feeling of wanting to do something, simply for the reason you shouldn't be doing it.

And it seemed Nick was well aware of this.

* * *

Ellis knew he was supposed to be on watch. Three weeks had passed, since the day the helicopter had abandoned them. They had a system now, for night time look-out. Each one of them would switch every two nights. It was Ellis' first night. Normally, he liked to think he was good at the job. Not once had they been surprised by a special infected lurking outside the safe room while he was on watch.

But tonight, his mind had other things to think about. He had gone two whole days without thinking about Keith. Consciously, at least. And if you didn't count the number of times he spouted off stories to the group. Now, however, his mind could only picture his best friend.

_They were running, faster than both of them thought they could manage. Of course, Keith was ahead. He always was when it came to speed. "Wait, Keith! I gotta catch up!" But he kept running, glancing over his shoulder to cast Ellis a cheeky smile._

_Ellis hadn't noticed the branch in his path, too preoccupied with catching up with his friend. He hit the ground without a sound, hot pain bursting in his chin, legs and hands. Before he had rolled over, Keith was by his side, eyebrows pulled in a frown._

_"'Ya alrigh', Ell?" He questioned, green eyes darting from the scrapes on his knee, to the one on his chin. Ellis nodded, ignoring the urge to cry._

_"I'm fine," he said, putting on a brave face as he sat up, wiping at one of his eyes. It stung something awful but he didn't want Keith to think he was a wimp. After all, Keith had already broken both his arms and one of his legs by now. The other boy frowned, his lower lip jutting out for a moment. Ellis could tell he didn't believe that he was fine. With a small movement, Keith kissed his cheek, seeming satisfied with that solution._

_"Feel better? My momma always kisses my cheek when I'm hurt..." Keith explained, giving him a shy half-smile._

The memory was cut short by the sound of the sudden sound of someone slamming the door behind him. Lucky, this safe room turned out to be more of a safe house. There were two separate rooms, giving all of them a bit of privacy.

Turning around, Ellis blinked at the sight of Nick, leaning against the door. "You deaf now, too? I'll take over duties for you. By the looks of things, the only thing your keeping track of is the drool on your chin."

Ellis felt his cheeks flare, embarrassed that Nick had caught him day dreaming when he was meant to be on guard for the group. It was the first time it had happened...

"Nawh, it's alrigh'," he replied, frowning at the con-man as he folded his arms over his chest. "I was just thinkin' about some things. 'Ya don't gotta worry again, Nick."

Raising an eyebrow, Nick looked slightly amused as he pushed himself off the wall, making his way over to stand beside the shorter male. "You're right. I don't. Because I'm taking your shift. You can make it up to me, Overalls."

Inwardly smiling at the nickname, Ellis made sure he scowled, just in case Nick realized he actually enjoyed their banter. He couldn't remember when it had begun to be fun for him, it just happened. Like everything else in life...

"I'm stayin' with you," he argued, stubborn as a mule. "I 'aint movin'." He gave the older man a satisfied smirk, cocking an eyebrow in a challenging manner. Even though he missed Keith more than anything in the world, that didn't mean he could deny he felt some sort of attraction to Nick. Even if it was some psychological compensation for the fact that Keith had disappeared, he was okay with that. He had grown less innocent in the four years that he had been together with Keith. It was impossible to avoid with that boy.

Seeming a bit amused, Nick took a step closer, studying him intently for a few moments. The intensity of his stare caused the Southerner to falter a bit, swallowing thickly. But he wasn't about to give up. He hadn't felt this alive since Keith.

"I've seen you looking at me, Overalls. At first, I was worried. Thought you were going to murder me in my sleep. I cross a lot of people. But, that's not the point..." He paused for a moment, smirking in that confident way he always did. "You like me or something?"

Ellis was silent for a moment before he shrugged, uncrossing his arms. "And if I did?" His heart beat was loud in his ears, making him wonder if the other male could hear it.

Nick's expression changed for a moment, to something unreadable. It seemed as if he were contemplating something. "I might be okay with that, Overalls." With that, he stepped away and sat on the dusty couch, crossing his legs with a small laugh to himself.

He knew he was distracting himself. He knew it wasn't right, deep down. But he didn't mind. This was better than lingering on Keith. And besides, he liked a challenge.


End file.
